Gerbera plant named ‘Lekgerwhidouble’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gerbera  plant named ‘Lekgerwhidouble’, characterized by its double-type, white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Gerbera×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Lekgerwhidouble’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gerberaplant botanically known as Gerbera×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Lekgerwhidouble’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inPijnacker, The Netherlands during May 2006. The objective of thebreeding program was the development of Gerbera cultivars that arefreely flowering with large flowers.

The new Gerbera cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female(seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Gerbera×hybridabreeding line designated HEAD 335, not patented, characterized by itsdouble-type, white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, lowgrowth vigor, and upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of thenew cultivar is the proprietary Gerbera×hybrida breeding line designatedAF 676, not patented, characterized by its single-type, white-coloredflowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright growthhabit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollinationduring May 2007 in a controlled environment at Pijnacker, TheNetherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tissue culture propagationin a controlled environment since May 2008 at Pijnacker, The Netherlandshas demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with allof the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retainedthrough successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Lekgerwhidouble’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Gerbera plant:

-   -   1. Double-type, white-colored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in growth vigor from plants of the male parent primarily inflower type and growth vigor.

Of the many commercially available Gerbera cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is Revolution ‘Mega White’, notpatented. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the newcultivar differ from plants of Revolution ‘Mega White’ in at least thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are more double flowering than        plants of Revolution ‘Mega White’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are more vigorous than plants of        Revolution ‘Mega White’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Lekgerwhidouble’.The plants were grown in 14 cm pots for approximately 11 weeks in agreenhouse at Pijnacker, The Netherlands.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Lekgerwhidouble’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of‘Lekgerwhidouble’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in August 2009 under naturallight conditions in Pijnacker, The Netherlands.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom tissue culture plantlets and grown in a glass-covered greenhouseunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown in Pijnacker, The Netherlands in 14 cm pots forapproximately 11 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C.to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandlesto 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Gerbera×hybrida cultivar Lekgerwhidouble.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Gerbera×hybrida breeding line            designated HEAD 335, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Gerbera×hybrida breeding line            designated AF 676, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Tissue culture plantlets.        -   Time to initiate roots in vitro.—Approximately 7 to 9 days.        -   Time to produce a tissue culture plantlet.—Approximately 35            to 49 days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 10 to 12 weeks from a            tissue culture plantlet to finish in a 14 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            compact-upright.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 32.0 cm. Height from soil level to top of            foliage: Approximately 27.0 cm. Width: Approximately 30.0            cm.        -   Branching habit.—No lateral branching, basal rosette.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Fragrance: None. Form: Simple, arising            from a basal rosette.        -   Leaves.—Shape: Elliptical. Margin: Deeply incised, dentate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate,            reticulate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 30.0 cm.            Width of mature leaf: Approximately 10.0 cm. Texture of            upper and lower surfaces: Glandular pubescent. Gland color:            137A. Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137B with            venation of 137C. Color of lower surface of young foliage:            138B with venation of 138B. Color of upper surface of mature            foliage: 137A with venation of 138B. Color of lower surface            of mature foliage: 138A with venation of 137B.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 6.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 5.5 mm. Texture: Glandular pubescent. Gland            color: 145A, transparent. Color: 145A.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Lekgerwhidouble’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            30 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Double, composite. Aspect: Facing            upward and outward. Arrangement: Positioned above foliage.            Quantity of fully open inflorescences per plant:            Approximately 6. Quantity of developing inflorescences per            plant: Approximately: 3. Fragrance: None. Length or height:            Approximately 3.0 cm. Width: Approximately 13.0 cm.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 28.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 7.5 mm.            Texture: Glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless,            transparent. Color: 144A.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 5 to 10 days for bud            to progress from first color to fully open flower. Shape:            Round. Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width: Approximately            3.0 cm. Petal color: 155D.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 85            outer ray florets and 245 inner ray florets. Shape:            Lanceolate to narrow elliptic. Appearance: Dull. Margin:            Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Length of outer ray            florets: Approximately 6.0 cm. Width of outer ray florets:            Approximately 8.0 mm. Length of inner ray florets:            Approximately 4.5 cm. Width of inner ray florets:            Approximately 6.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:            Glabrous. Color of upper surface when fully open: 155D.            Color of lower surface when fully open: 155A.        -   Disc florets.—Disc diameter: Approximately 2.5 cm. Quantity            per inflorescence: Approximately 530. Arrangement: Spirally            arranged in center of inflorescence. Shape: Tubular. Margin            of free portion: Entire. Apex: Five acute tips. Base: Fused            into a tube. Length: Approximately 9.0 mm to 1.0 cm.            Diameter at apex: Approximately 1.0 to 2.0 mm. Diameter at            base: Less than 1.0 mm. Color: 187A.        -   Receptacle.—Shape: Cone. Height: approximately 1.0 cm.            Diameter at base: Approximately 2.1 cm. Color: 145D.        -   Involucre.—Height: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 2.0 cm.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 90.            Arrangement: Imbricate in several whorls. Shape: Lanceolate.            Margin: Entire. Apex: Attenuate. Base: Fused. Texture of            upper and lower surfaces: Glandular pubescent. Gland color:            Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface: 137D. Color            of lower surface: 137C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets and            some imperfect stamens on the inner ray florets. Stamen            quantity: Approximately 2 per flower. Anther shape: Oblong.            Anther length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: 151D.            Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color: 155D. Gynoecium:            Present on ray and disc florets. Pistil quantity: 1 per            flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Stigma shape:            Split heart shape. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm.            Stigma color: 2D. Style length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Style            color: 2C. Ovary length: Approximately 1.5 mm. Ovary            texture: Glabrous. Ovary color: 155A.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Gerbera has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant named ‘Lekgerwhidouble’,substantially as herein shown and described.